The majority of handheld devices (e.g., laptops, tablet devices, smartphones, multi-media players/devices) available today provide mechanisms for securing the handheld device so that only the device owner or those authorized by the owner can access data on the device. It is common practice for handheld device owners to employ such security mechanisms to protect their devices as well as the integrity of the data on these devices.
When an honest finder locates a lost device, his methods of getting the device back to its owner include placing a phone call to any contact stored on the device. However, when the device has a security authentication scheme enabled, an honest finder has no way of providing the device with the correct authentication credentials. In such cases, the honest finder is limited to either waiting for the device to receive a phone call from the owner or someone close to the owner who can help identify the device's owner. Or, if the device was found left in a public establishment (e.g., a restaurant, a shop, a taxi etc.), the honest finder can leave the device with an employee of the establishment. However, this mechanism only works if the device owner returns to the correct establishment and the employee is honest enough to return the device. Nevertheless, it is very difficult or impossible for an honest finder of a lost device with a security authentication scheme enabled to proactively attempt to locate the owner of the device to facilitate returning the device to its owner.